Electric switch



PATENTED JULY 3, 1906. c. s. VAN NUIS.

BLEGTRIG SWITCH.

APPLICATION IILED D30. 10, 1904.

2 SHEETB-SHEET 1.

M Invr' mum J Attorney;

No. 825,091. PATENT ED JULY 3, 1906.

' 0. S. VAN NUIS.

- ELEOTEIG SWITCH.

APPLIC'ATIOE- FILED DBO.10. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TED STATES [PATENT OFFICE.

. CHARLES s. VAN NUIS. OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. VAN NUIs,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to electric switches of that type in which a blade or knife is pivoted upon supports secured to.

. holes not being accurately alined an also, if

the base be of porcelain, it may be warped.

To permit the difierent members of the switch to be placed in correct operative position, irrespective of the position of the openings and the character of the base, is one of the objects of this invention.

Another object is to hold the plates of each stationary member in correct contiguous relation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved electrical contact between the terminal wires and the switch members.

A further object of the invention is to produce a switch in which the base is not perforated, whereby static discharges through the base of the switch will be prevented.

In order to better understand the nature of the invention, attention is called to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a top view of a frontcontact switch. Fig. 2 represents a sectional view thereof, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 represents a section taken on the lines 3 3 of Fig. 1. i Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a device slightly modified from that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 5 is a section of another modification. Fig. 6 is a side view of a portion of a back-connected switch. Fig. 7 is a top'"view thereof. Fig. 8 is a sectional view thereof, taken on the ines 8 8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a perspective'view of a fuse-box, and Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken through the same.

I In all of the several views like parts are designated by the same numerals of reference. Theswitch consists of a base 1, formed of a slab of marble, slate, or other suitable material having openings 2 2 formed therein. In the front-connected switch these openin s do not pass entirely through the base an are provided with undercut portions 3. In the ack-connected switch the openings pass entirely through the base, and the undercut portions are not usually necess but may be used. The blade ihas the usi i operatinghandle 5 and is pivoted at 6 to a suitable support 7. This sup ort 7 and the jaws 8, between which the lade en ages, are formed, preferably, each of two p ates 9 and 10, of elastic metal, beveled at their upper extremities at-11 to permit the easy entrance of the blade between them. These elastic plates are secured in contiguous relation and to the base 1 in proper operative osition to the blade 4 in a'novel manner y means of a molded mounting 12. This mounting consists of a mass of material forming a support within which the plates are embedded, and which also enters one or more of the openings 2. In the front-connected switch the mount; ing also engages within the undercut portions -3, formed within these openings. The material used for making the mounting may be an insulating-cement, but is preferably a me tallic composition, a variety of type-metal being preferred. One form of composition may consist of an alloy composed of lead, (seven parts,) tin, (three parts,) and anti; mony, (one part,) which possess the valuable feature of shrinking very little upon cool ng; The parts of the front-connected switc are assembled by usin temporary clampsupports to hold the b ade and stationary members in proper correlative posltion to each other and to the base and in proper alinement with each other, while the mo ten metal or the plastic com ound is molded around the the, undercut holes in the base, securing the stationary members permanently to the base in ,the'positions previously determined. A mold (not shown) may be used to give the desired configuration to that part of each mounting 12 that is above the base. To fur- 'ther secure the plates 9 and 10 to the base, a

- stapllinllt may be-used, which is so embedded wit the mounting that it will straddle the stationary mem ers and into the recesses o -1ng the irregularities in the sides of t r Fig. 7, parts of the molded mountin 12 fillopenings. In these figures the slot is not shown with the undercut portions, as described and illustrated in connection with the frontcon- 7 nected switch, for the reason that the edges connecting portion 22.

2, which form the connecting-mills betweenthe several circular openings which make up the slot, are sufficiently ragged to Serve the same purpose and form an eflicient lock for the molded mountin In this form of the invention the molde 'mounting is made in two partsa molded mounting proper and a This latter, with the flange 23 and engaging cars 24, is first formed in a mold separate from the base. The connecting portion 22 is formed by placing the plates 9 and 1.0 in proper relative position Within a mold, and a suflicient quantity of material is introduced. The same operation forms the flange and cars. It will be under stood that enough. of the material passes from the space between the plates, through small openings therein, to form the cars 24. The pair of plates, withthe connecting portion, may be made in quantities, and-they form in themselves a new article of manufacture. In this form they are secured to the base by first being adjusted to proper position in relation to'the other stationary members and the movable member and so that the connect, portion 22 will pass through the slot and t e flange 23-wi1l'en age with the face of the base. Sufiicient mate rial may then be introduced within the slot and around the stationary-members to form the-complete mounting, the ears 24 serving to more securely retain the parts in place, the binding material en aging withthe 1' g projecting edges 2 as before descrl ed.

.The fact that theback-conneoted switch is mounted upon a switchboard ca g a number of switches, as well as other evices, makes it desirable that the two or more plates forming each stationary member of the switch should be secured to other and their relative position. determine and fixed before they are mounted on the switchboard. When, however, the back-connected switch is made with its own base, the plates will be secured together andto the base at the'same time by the molded mounting.

Electric connection is made with the plates 9 and 1.0 in any suitable manner, as by means of a clip 15 and nuts andwashers 16, as shown by Letters Patent, is as follows:

in F' s, 5, 6, and 8 but preferably by means of a evice shown in 1, 2, and 3. This consists of a clamp 17, formed of a general horseshoe shape, with its extremities 18 em-- bedded in the support 12, one extremity of eachofthe plates 9 and 10 passing into the clamp and being there separate to a V shape, so as to engage with the inside faces. It is of course understood that the.

thereof. extremities of the clam 17 may not necessarily be embedded withmthe molded mounting, but may be supported entirely by the separated extremities of the plates 9 and 10., Suitable set screws 19, passing throu h threaded openings within the clip, force t e terminal wire into engagement with the two extremities of the plates 9 and 10 toward the alps); of the separated portion. Owing to t inclined position of these members, the terminal wire may be forced into engage ment to any desired extent. In the modification shown in Fig. 4 but one metallic piece for each of the stationary members is used.

This is beat as shown, the terminal wire being placed within the loop formed thereby and is engaged by a screw 20. To permit .9.

sufiicient en 'agement of the screw with its v opening for t purpose of securing thence- .essa pressure, an additional piece 21 1s mserte'd, with athre'aded o ening therein, and this serves the purpose 0 a nut. This invention may be a, lied with but slight modification to a fuse ox, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, which illustrate a box with double engaging lugs in the base, formed 1n the same manner as those described in connection with the switch, and single tongues I in the cover, formed as shown in 10. To the screws 2.5 is secured the fu e-.' 26..

Instead of a grooved o ening 2 within the base a conical recess 27 (shown in Figs. 5 and 10) ma be employed.

It be seen that the alinement of the cooperating arts of the switch is entirely independent c any conditions of the base either as regards the surface or the position of the openings the molded mountings compensating for all irregularities. This is a matter of great importance, for whena base is used made of a vitreous material, such as porcelain, the surface may be found to be more or less warped, and when marble or slate is employed the va densities thereof sometimes cause the rill to make irregularlyformed openings. 7

The screw-wedge contact-clamp is an emcient feature of my im roved switch, as it substitutes for the usua solder and flat surface lug-contacts usedin switches in common practice the more rigid and effective connection of a combined pressure contact directly between the conducting-Wires and the switchlates.

What I c aim as new, and desire to secure 1. The combination with the base and the thereof intermediate their extremities, em-

stationary contact members of a switch, of-a molded mounting for securing such stationary members to the base, whereb an accurate alinement is secured and maintained, substantially as set forth.

2. The combinationwithtwo se arate contiguous contact-plates, of a molde mountin securing them together, and determining an maintaining their relative position, substantially as set forth. 3. The combinatioirwith the base and the movable member of a knife-switch, of the stationary members, and a molded mounting securing such stationary members to the base whereby an accurate alinement of such stationary members with relation to the movable member is secured and maintained, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the base and the movable member of a knife-switch, of the stationary members composed of pairs of contiguous plates, and a molded mounting securing the plates of each pair together and to the base, substantially as set forth.

5. The combinationwith a base, having openings therein, and the stationary contact members of a switch of a molded mountin engaging with the openings for sec suc stationary members to the base, where y an accurate alinement is secured and maintained, substantially as set forth.

6. In a switch, the combination with a base, of blade-engaging means and terminal connections formed of integral plates and a molded "mounting for securing them to the base substantial] as described.

7. Ina switc the combination with a base, of blade-engaging means and terminal connections, forme o a pair of contiguous plates and a molded mounting for securing them to the base, substantially as described.

8. In a switch, the combination with a base, of blade-enga means and terminal connections, forme d a pair of contiguous plates, a molded mounting for securing them to the base, and a sta le'within the mounting and engaging with t e plates, substantially as described.

9. In a switch, the blade engaging means and terminal connections therefor formed of a pair of cooperating plates, in combination with a molded mounting for supporting the members intermediate the ends thereof, substantially as described. r 10. In a switch, the blade-e aging means and terminal connections there or, formed of a pair of cooperating plates, in combination with a molded mounting for sup orting the members intermediate the ends thereof, and a terminal securin means adjacent to one extremity of the pair of plates, substantially as described.

11. In a switch, the combination with a pair of fiat elastic plates having a portion substantial y as described.

bedded within a molded mounting, substantially as described.

12. In a switch, the combination with a pair of flat elastic plates having a portion thereof intermediate their Iextremities. embedded within a molded mounting, and terminal securing means partially embedded within the mountin adjacent to one extremity of the pair 0 plates, substantially as described.

13. In a switch, the combination with a pair of flatelastic plates, having a portion thereof intermediate their extremities in close relation,', and embedded. within a molded mounting and separated at one extremity,

and a terminal engaging means, partially embedded within the mounting, adj acent to the said separated extremities of the plates, substantially as described.

* 14. In a switch, the combination with a pair of flat elastic plates, ha a portion thereof intermediate their extrenuties m close relation, embedded within a molded mount-z 'ing and separated at one extremity, and

means connected to the mounting,'carrying means for forcing the terminal into e a ement with the se arated extremities bit e plates, substantia y as'described:

15. In a switch, the combination with a pair of flat elastic plates having a portion thereof intermediate their extremities embedded within a molded mounting, and terminal securing means adjacent to one extremity of the pair of plates, substantially as described.

--16. In a switch, the combination with a.

pair of flat elastic plates, having aportion thereof intermediate their extremities m close relation, and embedded within a molded mounting and separated at one extremity, and a terminal engaging means adjacent to the said se arated extremities of the 17. In-a switch, the combination with-a pair of flatelastic plates having a ortion thereof intermediate their extremitles emplates,

IIO

bedded within a molded mounting, and sepa- 1 rated at one extremity to forma V shape, a clamp surrounding said separated extremities, and means for forcing the terminalwire within the apex of said separated extremities, substantially as described.

18. In a switch, the combination with pair of flat elastic plates having a portion thereof intermediate their extremities embedded within a molded mounting, and separated at one extremity to form a V shape, a

clamp surroundingsaid separated extrem1- apex of the separate embedded within a molded mounting and with one extremity free and se arated to form a V shape, of means for forci 1y engagthe terminal wire with the apex of" the said extremity, substantial] as described.

20. In'a' switch, the com ination with the two contiguous plates forming the stationa members, the'said plates being separated a jacent to one extremity to form a V shape, of a clamp surrounding the separated extremities of said plates, and a screw carried by the clamp for forcing the terminal wire toward the apex of said separated plates, substantially as described.

21. In a switch, the combination withthe two contiguous lates forming the stationary members, the sa d plates being separated ad jacent to one extremity to form a V shape, of a clamp surrounding the separated extremities of said plates, and a screw carried by the clamp for forcing the terminal wire into engagement with the separated lates and toward the portion, substantially described. 22. In a switch, the combination with a thereof intermediate their extremities embedded within a molded mounting, and separated adjacent to one extremity to form a V shape, a clamp surrounding said separated extremity, and a screw carried by the clamp for forcing the terminal wire into engagement with the separated plates and toward the apex 'of the separated portion, substantially as described. l v

23. In a switch, the combination with a I pair of flat elastic plates having a portion molded mounting, of a terminal for the line,

the said terminal being in flat plate form with two parts embedded within the molded mounting and two parts separated to form a V shape, and means for forcibly engaging the terminal wire with the separated parts,

substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 14th day of April, 1903.

CHARLES s. VAN NUISQ Witnesses:

JNo. Ronr. TAYLOR, Jonn LOUIS LOTSCH. 

